Executive Function in the Age of Distraction: Reclaiming Focus and Control in Higher Ed

Afternoon Breakout Session

Women in higher education are drowning in distraction. Between endless emails, Zoom fatigue, committee work, student crises, caregiving responsibilities, and the persistent pressure to do more with less, our cognitive resources are stretched to the breaking point. 

This interactive workshop offers evidence-based strategies to understand, protect, and strengthen executive function in an age of distraction. Executive function  includes the cognitive processes that drive planning, prioritization, time management, decision-making, focus, and emotional regulation - the very skills required to lead and perform effectively in complex academic environments.

Drawing on neuroscience research, organizational psychology, and lived experience navigating academia's demands, participants will explore how chronic distraction impacts personal wellbeing and workplace performance. Through guided reflection and practical exercises, attendees will identify their individual executive function challenges and design personalized systems to protect attention, manage priorities, and work more strategically.

Participants will leave with a personalized action plan and toolkit for immediate implementation. Thriving. The strategies shared are adaptable across contexts - classroom, workplace, and home - and are intended to foster ongoing reflection, dialogue, and sustainable change.

This workshop is designed for professionals in higher education, including faculty, administrators, advisors, student affairs professionals, and staff navigating increasingly complex workloads, constant digital interruptions, and competing demands on their attention while trying to maintain professional effectiveness and personal wellbeing.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify the core components of executive function and recognize how chronic distraction and cognitive overload show up in professional and personal lives.

  2. Develop and define basic executive functions and analyze the structural and cultural factors that impact and sometimes undermine executive function.

  3. Identify strategies that can help you as an individual manage competing priorities, reduce cognitive load, and protect focus time.

  4. Consider personalized systems and tools for time management, task prioritization, and boundary-setting that align with specific roles and responsibilities.

Katie Donnelly

Katie Donnelly has spent over 15 years in higher education in diverse roles spanning global education leadership, admissions recruitment, fundraising, and student and academic affairs. Today, she is a social science faculty member at Great Bay Community College, teaching across virtual, in-person, and hybrid modalities. As an executive function coach, her work is grounded in the belief that executive function challenges are not personal failures but predictable responses to structures that don't always support the way our brains learn and work. She emphasizes that we can develop both personal strategies and collective advocacy to change these conditions. Additionally, as a certified yoga teacher, she brings training in mindfulness practices and somatic awareness that informs her approach to attention management and sustainable productivity. Katie earned a Master's degree in International Development from the University of Oregon and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and African Studies from St. Lawrence University. She has a special interest in global education and workforce development.